Kidd Kraddick, center, poses with his staffers at a charity golf tournament in New Orleans on July 27, 2013 shortly before he passed away. (credit: B97 WEZB New Orleans)

NEW ORLEANS (CBSDFW.COM) – Local radio show host Kidd Kraddick of the popular radio show “Kidd Kraddick in the Morning,” has died. Kraddick, whose real name is David Peter Cradick, 53, passed away Saturday in New Orleans at a golf tournament. The event was organized to raise money for his beloved Kidd’s Kids charity. More than a radio icon to many, Kraddick had a reputation for helping children selflessly through his non-profit work.

“When Kidd came to town Ronald Reagan was just being sworn into his second term, Danny White quarterbacked the Cowboys, and Doug Rader managed the Rangers. Nobody compared to Kidd Kraddick. Nobody,” according to KLUV/98.7 FM morning host Jody Dean.

Kraddick founded his charity The Kraddick Foundation, in ’91. It’s dedicated to helping impact the lives of children who have terminal or chronic illnesses or are accident victims.

There was an immediate outpouring of grief for the KISS-FM, ClearChannel Dallas, YEA Networks mainstay after Cuban’s tweet.

Comedian Craig Gass shared a unique common ground of growing up in a deaf family like Kraddick. Despite only interacting a few times, the comedian considered his conversations with Kraddick “more intense” than those with people he has known “forever.”

“It really struck me how kind and likable he was. I just had a great conversation with him at a radio event in LA and I was genuinely looking forward to having more of a friendship with him in the future,” said Gass.

(credit: B97 WEZB New Orleans)

The parent company of the “Kidd Kraddick in the Morning” show released the following statement.

All of us with YEA Networks and the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning crew are heartbroken over the loss of our dear friend and leader. Kidd devoted his life to making people smile every morning, and for 21 years his foundation has been dedicated to bringing joy to thousands of chronically and terminally ill children.

Kidd passed away today in New Orleans at a golf tournament organized to raise money for his beloved Kidd’s Kids charity. He died doing what he loved, and his final day was spent selflessly focused on those special children that meant the world to him.

We ask that you respect the privacy of his family and his colleagues. At the appropriate time, we will release more information about the cause of death.

The cast of the Kidd Kraddick In The Morning radio program. (Kidd Kraddick is centered.) (Credit: kiddkraddick.com)

Other broadcast professionals quickly expressed their grief about Kraddick’s sudden and unexpected death.

“It’s just heart breaking.I knew Kidd before I knew radio,” said radio personality Tony Zazza. “He is what made so many of us want to do radio and be the best we could be. Lots of love goes out to his family, crew (radio family), friends. He touched so man lives. We lost a legend… The On-Air light wont shine as bright without him.”

The Dallas Morning News reported Kraddick had been a staple in the Dallas market since 1984, starting in a late-night debut. The newspaper said he moved into morning show work by the early 1990s in that market and his show began to gain wider acclaim and entered into syndication by 2001 as he gained a following in cities nationwide.

“I am deeply shocked and tremendously saddened by the news of Kidd’s passing,” said Mark “Hawkeye” Louis of KSCS FM. “He took the occupation of disc jockey to a level which we never imagined,” he continued. “He was a true humanitarian. And to his nationwide following, he was family… and tonight they are mourning him as they would a brother.”

Kraddick’s show aired throughout the U.S. and was seen on the Dish Nation TV show.